So I was impressed by this concept video on how touch screen technology may look in the future… It says 2014 but I think it’s most likely something my kids will have around in their tweens.  Cool and interesting none-the-less.

I get the feeling that the Sunshine Coast economy is picking up and businesses are making the most of the “New Beginnings” that a fresh calendar year brings. A lot of my clients are bringing fresh ideas and concepts to me. It’s great!

As my web design and graphics business “Brainspace” comes into the new year, we have already started branching out into some new areas.  What I am most excited about is creating iPhone Apps.

I’ve just completed one for Pastor Steve Penny who is using the iPhone App to allow people a ‘single click’ into his life and ministry as he travels the globe speaking to churches and leaders.

From his App you can:
Read his Blog
Read his Twitter
Listen to sermons
Watch video sermons
View his Bio, Photos, Links and more

The App has been so popular that it overloaded the server that hosted the media files yesterday! (All good now)

Feel free to check it out via the link below or search for ‘Steve Penny’ on your iphone App store. Let us know if YOU or someone you know would like an App or website built as well!

We like fresh websites with new content – that’s why most people spend time on social media sites like facebook and youtube and twitter- because there is always something new and fresh on the site.

One of the biggest challenges many of my clients face is being consistant and creative in writing new content on their new-media enabled websites.

I suggest my clients write an interesting article about their passion / industry / ideas at least once per week if they want to be fresh, engage their reader and stay top of mind.

In Ken Robinson’s new book ‘The Element‘, he says of creativity:

Imagination is not the same as creativity. Creatvity takes the process of imagination to another level.  My definition of creativity is “the process of having original ideas that have value.” Imagination can be entirely internal. You could be imaginative all day long without anyone noticing. But, you would never say that someone was creative if that person never did anything.  To be creative you actually have to dome something. (Pg 67)

It’s not for lack of imagination that people are challenged by writing – it’s creativity. Actually doing it – then doing it consistantly.

Here’s what I suggest you do if you are looking to be creative in writing articles and blog content:

• Some R & D – For some of you that means Research and Development. For others it means Rip-off and Duplicate.   I don’t care, as long as it’s fresh and you’ve added your creative flare and passion to the articles (and you haven’t broken copyright laws).
• Sit down with a person who is NOT from your industry and spend time talking about your business and explaining what you do. Allow the other person to interject on anything that is new, confusing, fresh or interesting to them.  Write those things down and write on them, no matter how simple they may seem to you.
• Use some old newsletter material that you may have written – just make sure it’s still relevant and doesn’t have any obvious bad timing. e.g “Just last month when the planes hit the twin towers…”
• Get a writer in.  This might sound a little absurd but bigger companies do it all the time. I’m lucky that I like writing but it might be a grind to you.  I know a few good writers and I’ll often suggest that my clients get one in – the clever ones do.
• Give yourself a weekly deadline. I know that Thursday afternoon at around 2:30pm my mailing list server comes to my websites and looks for a new article.  If there is nothing, my mailing list subscribers get nothing that week – whether they read it or not, I want them to be getting something of value from David Tensen to their inbox. Some fresh bread home delivered to their inbox!

Any other tips? Feel free to leave a comment.

Introduction

I’m surprised by the number of business people I’m meeting who fall into one of these categories when it comes to databases:

1.  Don’t have one. They want one. Know they need one. But don’t know where to start and what they should do with it once they have it.

2. Have one. A large one. Collected or inherited. Don’t know how to best use it or leverage it without being pesky or wasting days dealing with frustrating and retarded Outlook newsletter templates etc.

In any case, you need an effective and easy way to collect, consolidate and then connect with the database.  I’m a firm believer in allowing technology to do all the hard work for you.  Gone are the days of expensive direct mail and wasted paper.  Welcome to the world of emails, RSS feeds, blogging and new media. Where one person can effortlessly reach thousands with very little effort.

Part 2 – Consolidating

So you’ve followed Part 1 and you have a stack of email addresses. Hopefully you have put them in an excel spreadsheet colomn so that they can be easily exported to whatever platform will serve you best.

There  are some great online platforms out there to put your database on so you can regularly connect with the people you need to.

Feedburner: Google’s feedburner is a free service that allows people who visit your blog or RSS powered website to Subscribe to get your blog posts via email each time you write one. It’s a little limited in functionality but would suit most people. One of the downsides to feedburner is that you can’t import other people’s email addresses – they need to do that themselves.  Check out feedblitz if you want to import your existing database of addresses (it’s not free though)  www.feedburner.com

Campaign Monitor: If you want send out newsletters not generated from  a blog featured site or published online then Campaign Monitor is a good option.  It allows you to import your contacts and then create a email that will be sent out. The best thing is, it allows you to track who has opened the email etc.  A great way to focus on your followup calls and rate the success of the email.  It’s also got a great function that will allow you to see what your newsletter looks like in many of the email clients out there. e.g. Hotmail, Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo mail.  It’ll also tell you if your email is likely to get caught and filtered out by spam filters.  It’s a pay-per-email-address- you- send-to model. www.campaingmonitor.com

Aweber: If you want to create a campaign with a heap of follow-up emails that are automatically sent in timed succession to the recipient then Aweber is a great option.  It integrates a lot of clever tools and is priced fairly reasonable. Again, it’ll allow you to import your collected addresses and continue to add them as you get them.    www.aweber.com

Next week we’ll finish the series with CONNECTING. I’ll give you some creative ways to connect with your database and create some business.

Email me direct at davidtensen at gmail dot com   or use the form below.

David Tensen | mob: 0437 235 011

– ONLINE –
I help people create new media enabled websites that ENGAGE, INTERACT and BUILD FOLLOWERS.  Phone me direct on 0437 235 011 or read my blog…

– OUTSIDE –
I can get you exposed to THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE PER WEEK passing through supermarket checkouts via our in-store digital television network. Phone 1800 785 369 or get more info here…

Much of my business comes from referrals so if you know anyone looking for a fantastic website or brilliant out-of-home advertising, please pass on my details.